Rolling High: A Dominicon 2026 Diary
Dominicon is Maynooth University’s Game Society’s annual gaming convention. This year, they ran their 29th rendition of the event with a Medieval theme. It took place over the weekend of the 21st to the 22nd of February 2026.
The convention took over most of the TSI Building, its rooms were dedicated to different kinds of gaming. Room 0.28 had video game tournaments; 1.10 had an all-day LARP (Live Action Role-Playing game) that lasted almost nine hours, room 0.38 had card games and so on. This extended to the main MSU foyer, there were a few stalls such as artist and role-playing game stalls (I bought a DND dice set that looks like stained glass!).
One of the most anticipated events of the convention that most of us were looking forward to actually took place after the matter; at around 6 p.m. was a charity auction at the Newtown Inn. All money raised from both events went to TEMI, (Transgender Equality Network Ireland). The most notable items up for auction were a PlayStation One that went for €300, two foam swords that went for €100 each, a VR headset, a WII U and a myriad of other items. There were several items that went for much more than their worth, such as an official Game Society jacket that went for roughly €200. What I and the other attendees did not expect was that a local, older gentleman would take part; he possibly spent at least €350.
On the second evening, I had my own DND, Dungeons and Dragons, ‘One Shot’ (a short, original narrative), an official collaboration with the History Society, based on Medieval Irish literature, particularly the Ulster cycle of tales. The players had to go and find Cú Chulainn, who had gone berserk after he was inflicted with a ‘Wasting Sickness’, they got him back to Ireland where he was slapped by his wife, Emer, for having an affair - but he was asleep at the time so he didn't remember. It ended with both of them drinking potions of forgetfulness so their marriage could be saved until he cheats again. Overall, I am very happy with how the game went. I think my players had fun (one approached me afterward to ask if I was going to host any more this year), and I certainly had fun!
Overall, I would say that this year the convention was incredibly enjoyable (and as History Soc’s secretary, I for one appreciated the medieval aesthetic) and as Game society wraps up this year's events, I look forward to seeing what Game Society has planned for the 30th edition of the convention, next year.
